Max Verstappen once again asserted his formidable pace, topping the second practice session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. However, the session’s most compelling narrative was the stunning performance of Fernando Alonso, who masterfully split the dominant Red Bulls to claim second place, signaling Aston Martin’s serious intent for the 2023 Formula 1 season.
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The reigning world champion’s fastest lap, a blistering 1’29.603, underscored his and Red Bull Racing’s formidable form at the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Astonishingly, Alonso, piloting his AMR23, came within two-tenths of a second of Verstappen’s benchmark, showcasing a remarkable blend of driver skill and car performance. Just behind him, Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull secured third, a mere tenth shy of Alonso, highlighting the fierce competition at the top of the F1 grid.
The second practice session (FP2) held particular significance, as it took place under the floodlights and in cooler ambient temperatures, conditions that closely mirror those expected for Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s main race. This makes the data gathered far more representative than the daylight FP1 session. As FP2 commenced, teams received crucial updates on track conditions, with Fernando Alonso, for instance, being informed that wind speeds around the intricate circuit had significantly decreased, almost halving compared to the earlier practice hour. These subtle changes often have a profound impact on car balance and aerodynamic performance, requiring swift adjustments from both drivers and engineers.
The early stages of FP2 saw a familiar pattern of drivers gradually building pace and confidence on the demanding street circuit. The two Ferraris of Carlos Sainz Jnr and Charles Leclerc initially set the pace, demonstrating strong performance on the medium compound tyres. Their early quick laps placed them at the top of the timings, momentarily ahead of Alonso’s impressive Aston Martin. However, it wasn’t long before Max Verstappen stamped his authority on the session, displacing them with a 1’30.801 to claim the fastest lap. This top spot was fleeting, though, as Alonso quickly responded, going nearly two-tenths quicker to briefly usurp the Dutchman, much to the delight of the Aston Martin garage and F1 fans worldwide.
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is renowned for its high-speed, unforgiving nature, and its challenging corners continued to test drivers throughout FP2. Turn 22, a section that had already proven tricky in the opening session, once again caught out drivers pushing the limits. Yuki Tsunoda, driving for AlphaTauri, was an early casualty, appearing to clip the barrier at the apex of the corner during one of his early flying laps. Despite these challenges, Verstappen continued to refine his performance, eventually reclaiming the top spot in the session. Even the master wasn’t immune to the circuit’s demands, as he lightly brushed the wall on the exit of the final corner – a testament to how close to the edge he was driving. Similarly, Alonso also experienced a moment of over-exuberance, running wide at the notorious Turn 22 and being forced to abandon a promising fast lap attempt, underlining the fine margins at play on this demanding street circuit.
As the session progressed, teams switched their focus to qualifying simulations, fitting the softer compound tyres for a crucial performance run. Sergio Perez was among the first to make this switch, and his immediate impact was clear. On his Red Bull, he surged to the top of the timings with a 1’29.902, half a second quicker than his teammate Verstappen’s previous best on mediums. Verstappen’s initial attempt on the softs was unfortunately thwarted by yellow flags displayed at Turn 16. Frustratingly for the Dutchman, these flags were rescinded almost as quickly as they were shown, preventing him from completing his hot lap. Undeterred, he quickly regrouped for a second attempt. This time, his soft tyre run was comfortably quick enough to propel him back to the top of the leaderboard, three-tenths clear of his teammate Perez. Not to be outdone, Alonso then unleashed another impressive lap, improving his time to relegate Perez into third, solidifying his strong claim for a competitive weekend.
The latter half of the hour-long session, as is customary in Formula 1 practice, was dedicated to crucial long runs, allowing teams to gather valuable data on race pace and tyre degradation. Drivers ventured out on varying fuel loads and tyre compounds to simulate race conditions. Alonso and Perez, along with the two Mercedes drivers, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, opted for the medium compound tyres, aiming to understand their durability and performance over extended stints. In contrast, Verstappen and Lance Stroll chose to conduct their long runs on the softer tyres, potentially exploring a more aggressive race strategy or simply assessing the limits of the softer compounds under race fuel. With all cars focused on these high-fuel race simulations, there were predictably no significant improvements in the overall timing charts during this final phase of FP2, as the objective shifted from outright speed to consistent race pace and tyre management.
When the chequered flag waved, it officially confirmed Max Verstappen’s status as the fastest driver across both Friday practice sessions, demonstrating his unwavering dominance. However, the standout performance came from Fernando Alonso, whose incredible speed positioned his Aston Martin between the two Red Bulls at the very top of the timesheets, setting the stage for a thrilling qualifying battle. Behind the leading trio, Esteban Ocon delivered a strong performance for Alpine, securing an impressive fourth place ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes. Pierre Gasly, in the second Alpine, was sixth, closely followed by Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, further highlighting the strong form of the green cars. Nico Hulkenberg secured a commendable eighth place for Haas, showcasing their potential. The top ten was rounded out by the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr, indicating they may have more pace to unlock.
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit, with its unique blend of high-speed sections and tight technical turns, proved to be an exciting proving ground for the F1 grid. While Verstappen’s raw speed remains undeniable, Alonso’s performance has ignited hopes for a truly competitive season, especially given Aston Martin’s significant leap in form. The tight margins between the top drivers suggest that Saturday’s qualifying session will be a nail-biting affair, with every tenth of a second making a critical difference. The long run data from FP2 will now be meticulously analyzed by all teams, providing crucial insights into tyre degradation and optimal race strategies for Sunday’s main event. The stage is set for a captivating weekend of Formula 1 action in Saudi Arabia, promising fierce battles throughout the grid.
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2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix second practice result
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | RB19 | 1’29.603 | 29 | |
| 2 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’29.811 | 0.208 | 26 |
| 3 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | RB19 | 1’29.902 | 0.299 | 26 |
| 4 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’30.039 | 0.436 | 27 |
| 5 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W14 | 1’30.070 | 0.467 | 27 |
| 6 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’30.100 | 0.497 | 28 |
| 7 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’30.110 | 0.507 | 27 |
| 8 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’30.181 | 0.578 | 27 |
| 9 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’30.341 | 0.738 | 28 |
| 10 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’30.592 | 0.989 | 29 |
| 11 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W14 | 1’30.599 | 0.996 | 27 |
| 12 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’30.721 | 1.118 | 27 |
| 13 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT04 | 1’30.776 | 1.173 | 30 |
| 14 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’30.810 | 1.207 | 27 |
| 15 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’30.820 | 1.217 | 25 |
| 16 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’30.837 | 1.234 | 27 |
| 17 | 21 | Nyck de Vries | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT04 | 1’30.921 | 1.318 | 29 |
| 18 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’30.959 | 1.356 | 30 |
| 19 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’30.964 | 1.361 | 26 |
| 20 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’31.052 | 1.449 | 30 |
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